Wednesday, May 15, 2013

It's Our Call.

Earlier this week I met with my regular OB for our every-four-weeks shindig. (All still looks good!) This is a doctor I'm quite fond of, who smiles easily and has confidence in both of our abilities to keep this pregnancy as healthy as can be. And if we can't? "We'll deal with that when we come to it". Always said with a smile.

I came prepared, both physically and mentally, to discuss what the next several weeks might look like. I had brought my home blood pressure monitor to check against hers, as well as a list on my phone of points to discuss so I wouldn't space anything off. Laptop in hand and smile on face, she whooshed into the room. "Kim! How are you feeling?"

Exhausted with a side of heartburn, thanks for asking. "Do you have any questions for me before we get started?"

I recounted for her my most recent experience with the high-risk OB, and expressed my concern over both his advice to ward off what he apparently feels is inevitable preeclampsia (baby aspirin!) and his take on when Baby Girl will be making her debut (37 weeks!). I told her that his seemingly only reason for wanting to deliver at 37 weeks would be because of "long-standing type 1 diabetes", despite no evidence that I have complications or any other health issue indicating early delivery would be beneficial.

Her reaction to his opinion was A-1.

"I guess I need to know how this works - who makes the calls here? I know you're the one who will be delivering, but who has the trump card on the how and when?"

She didn't pause. "It's our call - mine and yours."

Cue giant sigh of relief!

She explained, just as I hoped she would, that while it all depends on how my body behaves over the next several weeks, there is no reason to assume we'd need to deliver so early just because I have diabetes. As we approach the homestretch of pregnancy I'll be in her office at least once a week, maybe twice, to check all of the things that could force us to an early delivery. She assured me that the only reason she's sending me to the high-risk guy is for "his opinion, and his fancy equipment". She also asked me if I'd like to see a different high-risk OB, and I'm considering it.

We talked through a couple of other things (like that baby aspirin advice, which it turns out she doesn't agree with as studies have mainly shown it effective in women who have already experienced preeclampsia in previous pregnancies, so I'm glad I held out on taking them) before she concluded: "So, my hope is that we can stretch this to 39 weeks. Is 39 weeks something you're more comfortable with?"

I wanted to hug her so hard for phrasing it the way she did. "Yes. I am totally okay with that. And who knows - I might be really ready for her to come out by the time August rolls around." "Yeah, air conditioning is going to be your best friend this summer."

I'm a September baby, and my parents are all about the fresh air, but that summer mom needed an AC unit. When I was TWENTY I found it in the attic. It now goes in my bedroom at my parents house. It's quite loud, but it still works. (How do I thank my pre-born self for this?)

Good luck! My doctor's always listened to me and I loved it. I was deff at ease. My body, however, decided to have high blood pressure at 36.6 weeks so I was induced. :P Diabetes-related, everything was great!

I had mine at 39 weeks. My a1c was 5.7 by the end. down from 7.3. I think we could've gone to 40 weeks but my doctor was uncomfortable. What would have been great is if I had gone into labor naturally at 39 weeks but I was induced instead. If you are induced, what they say about the contractions coming on super strong was true for me. The whole thing took about 10 hours from the time I got the medication to start the induction to the birth. And I had an epidural because shit got real as soon as he broke my water.

If I had to do it all over again I think I would have given it a few more days to see if labor came naturally.

Disclaimer.

I have absolutely no medical training of any kind. Nothing on this website should be used as medical or legal advice. Please talk to your physician first before making any changes to anything related to your health.